How Negative Underwear Boosted Sales 48% with Shopify Plus

Case Study Introduction

Negative Underwear launched in 2014 in New York City with a clear goal: design high-quality, functional undergarments sold direct-to-consumer at a fair price. Founders Marissa Vosper and Lauren Schwab spotted a gap in the intimate apparel market and combined their finance and consulting backgrounds with fashion training at FIT. They chose Shopify for its ease of use and reliability, building on Basic Shopify for years until complex bundling and inventory needs outgrew the platform.

Challenge

As Negative Underwear grew, the team faced time drains and errors when managing packs and bundles on Basic Shopify. Referral codes, promotions, and separate SKUs for each pack made manual toggles a necessity. Inventory checks across multiple records led to mis-sold out-of-stock items and extra customer service work. The founders wanted a lean, self-service backend but needed more flexibility and automation.

Solution

In 2021 Negative Underwear upgraded to Shopify Plus. This unlocked centralized reporting, automated workflows, and real-time inventory syncing across single SKUs and packs. The backend now reflects stock levels instantly, so packs turn off only when truly sold out. Bundles could be included in annual sales without manual back-end adjustments. The team merged sales data, financials, and promotions into one dashboard, freeing up hours each week.

Results

Since moving to Shopify Plus, Negative Underwear saw a 48% increase in sales, a 12% jump in average order value, and a 57% rise in site sessions over two years. Inventory accuracy is now taken for granted, and adding bundled promotions takes minutes instead of hours. The brand remains lean—self-funded, scrappy, and focused on design integrity and customer trust. Shopify Plus now underpins their growth and growing team.